Finding the Mark
by ScandalousSal
Summary: Antimony and Sareed go for a walk in the woods.


The branch creaked as Antimony perched on it, birdlike, while she waited for Sareed to catch up. Cool green moss caressed the soles of her bare feet. A pair of beetles skittered away, startled by the giant that had suddenly entered their world. She wasn't looking at them, but she could see them nonetheless. The whole forest rippled with energy. It burst from the ground and the trees and the sunlit sky and flowed forth over everything. Even if she closed her eyes tight and tried to hide from it, it still thrummed across her mind's eye, which was blessedly unburdened by a field of vision. At first it had been exhausting, but after Ysengrin's lessons it was not only tolerable, but soothing. The Court, on the other hand, was as silent as a tomb, save for the distant rumbles from deeper in the sprawl, echoes of some experiment or other. The etherium was silent there. Undisturbed. And in that silence one's own thoughts seemed to echo as well.

Here, everything had to compete with the wondrous cacophony of life all around. There were no silent patches for gloomy thought to penetrate, only radiant possibility. The trick was to control how much you took in to avoid overwhelming yourself. At the moment she was focused on a very small area around her. Without turning her head she could see the swarm of insects underneath the tree bark and in the grass and the soil. She could feel a lizard sunning itself, the hatchling birds and their attendant parents in the upper branches.

As she expanded the bounds of this circle, she could spot a stag just a few feet from her, grazing. Just a little way down the trail she could "see" Sareed as well. Antimony dismounted her perch and joined her friend. Sareed was slightly out of breath. A bow and a leather quiver were slung over her shoulder.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to run ahead." Antimony said. "Here, let me carry it for a while."

Sareed let her take the items and they continued on. It was heavier than it looked. It was more beautiful too. The bows at the Court were harried and a bit care-worn from many hands, but this one was exquisite- a thick strand of some kind of long animal hair was stretched between the ends of a wooden arc. The entire length was taut and rosined to a rare shine.

They rounded a bend and the trail flattened out. The trees began to thin slightly on either side, until they were standing at the edge of a large meadow. Large pieces of stone lay all around, some still upright, most on their side, cracked and disintegrating.

"This used to be a camp for Ysengrin's army. Then it was a hunting lodge. Now they don't use it for much." Sareed said.

"How did you find it?"

"Kamlen took me a few years ago. I hope the target is still here."

The target was indeed still there. In front of a fallen pillar was a wooden easel-like frame covered with bird droppings, on which rested a circular bale of hay. The bale was slightly soggy and clearly beginning to rot. There were also arrows in it.

As they watched, another one hissed out of nowhere and embedded itself in the mushy strands. They looked to the closer end of the field and saw a trio of boys standing there. They were younger than Sareed, closer to Antimony's age. She and Sareed exchanged a glance and continued walking. The boys pretended to be engrossed in their conversation and ignored them until they were closer. The oldest boy then deigned to look at them and folded his arms, his eyes running over Antimony with disdain.

"As you can probably see, this spot is occupied."

"So what?" Sareed said, indignantly.

"Perhaps we could take turns?" Antimony said, trying to strike a polite tone.

She didn't like personal conflict or confrontations. She knew she could deal with them if she had to, but all the same, they made her nervous and slightly jittery.

"Perhaps you should go back to playing with dolls." The boy shot back.

The other two laughed sycophantically, and Antimony felt something hot sliding around beneath her skin.

"Please!" Sareed said, now positively livid, "We could out-shoot you little squirts any day."

"Just because your father is the chief and can afford the best bow, doesn't mean you're better."

There was more snickering at this and Sareed opened her mouth to shout, but Antimony quickly cut across her.

"You want to bet?"

The eldest boy eyed her again, his eyes narrowing as if reappraising her.

"Name your terms."

"Simple. If we win, you find somewhere else to shoot." Antimony said.

"Right you are. But if we win, you have to kiss us all once and leave quietly."

"What?!" Sareed said, but Antimony was already shaking his hand.

"Deal."

The boy slid down off of the rock he was sitting on and pointed to the target.

"Two against two, one shot each. The bullseye is worth 25 points, the first circle is 10 and the second circle is five."

Without waiting for them to reply, he picked up his own bow, pulled an arrow from his friend's grip and loosed it. It fell cleanly within the first circle. The second boy shot next, with the exact same result.

"What about me?" The third boy asked. He was younger and slightly chubbier than the others.  
"I said two on two, are you daft? You can't shoot worth half a damn anyway."

Antimony handed the bow and a single arrow to Sareed. She watched her step up to the line the boys had drawn in the dirt and take aim. Antimony wanted to tell her that she shouldn't grip the string with her whole hand, but it was too late, the shaft was already away. It fell miserably short of the target, hitting nothing but a patch of grass. The boys exploded with laughter and Sareed turned away, bright red and practically steaming.

Antimony calmly took the bow from her, notched her arrow and took up her stance, keeping her feet at right angles to one another. She stared down the haft of the arrow, allowing the grey eagle feathers to blur out and the target to come into focus. The sounds of the forest and the boy's laughter died away as her concentration seeped in. The bow wobbled slightly with her breathing. Up. Down. Up. Down. She waited another half a second and breathed out. The arrow swept across the target one last time and she let go at what she hoped was the right moment.

Fwip.

Thud.

To her amazement, the arrow found its mark, directly in the center of the bullseye.

She wanted to jump for joy, but instead she maintained her composure and turned to face the boys, who had stopped laughing almost immediately. She spoke in that same polite, diplomatic voice, only now it was coated with a hint of frost.

"As you can probably see, we have beaten you. Now go be unpleasant somewhere else."

To her amazement, they did just that, slinking off without another word, without even bothering to retrieve the arrows they had already shot. Everything was dead silent for a while, and then Sareed gave a little squeak and hugged her.

"Annie that was brilliant!"

Antimony allowed herself a smile now that they were alone again.

"Yes, I suppose it was a rather good shot."

"Where did you learn to do that?"

Antimony told her about their outings to Young's Park, and how once she began medium lessons, Jones allowed her time each week to practice, in the hopes of promoting "discipline and self-control", as Jones had put it.

"You have to show me how!" Sareed said.

Antimony handed her back the bow and set the quiver down beside them.

"When you pull back on the string, just use your first two fingers. It will be easier to let go without knocking it off-target."

When Sareed notched her first arrow, but placed her index and middle fingers both underneath the arrow. The resulting shot pitched downwards and didn't make it even halfway. Sareed looked ready to quit, so Antimony stood up and went to stand behind her. She was ever-so-slightly taller than Antimony, so she had to stand on tip toes to see over her shoulder.

"Here, let me show you how to hold it. Take another arrow."

Sareed did so, and Antimony took a hold of her right hand, placing her fingers above and below the arrow. She was surprised how smooth Sareed's hands were. Almost... distracted.

"When you let the arrow go, let the string slip off your fingers- don't try to yank them away. Let the tension do the job for you."

There was a tense moment, and then the bow twanged. The arrow flew straight and true. Yes, it just barely lodged into the edge of the disintegrating hay-bale, but Sareed's face light up instantly and she whooped in triumph, which was more than enough for Antimony. In truth, her bullseye had been a fair bit of luck too, but that was just how life was. If you got an unexpected break it was best to play it off as nothing. It made people think better of you, and failing that, think twice before crossing you.

The rest of the afternoon was spent in similar fashion, punctuated by the stroll downrange together to collect their arrows. Sometimes they talked and at other times they were silent, like true friends. It was remarkable that Sareed had ended up being such a good friend when at first she had made fun of Antimony in front of the other Anwyn girls. It was also remarkable because it was her first friendship to have begun as a direct result of a hangover. Since that unfortunate incident, Sareed had taken it upon herself to be something like a big sister to Antimony, and they always found time to hang out whenever Antimony visited the forest. Whenever everyone else was busy and she felt like an unhelpful, out of place lump getting in the way of everything, Sareed had time for her. They would go off and play cards or sit in the branches of a tree and talk until dinner.

It was still very warm as the sun began to set. They had wandered a little further into the woods and come upon another meadow, much smaller than the last. The grass was soft and not itchy at all. It grew tall, nearly up to her arms, but it gave way easily. Now they were lying down in it, letting the last rays of summer sun warm their skin. By and by, the conversation shifted to Kat.

"I tried not to be jealous, you know? I should have been happy for her. But still I can't help wondering what she has that I don't..."

"You have nothing to worry about, Annie- you're beautiful."

Antimony couldn't help but smile.

"Well, I'm glad somebody thinks so."

Sareed turned over onto her side, using the palm of her hand as a cushion for her head.

"I do, and I'm not the only one." Sareed said. "I know what Irial said to you, but Kamlen's not a bump on a log. He knows what he wants."

"What- how did you know?" Antimony said, startled.

"She told me. Don't take it personal or nothing, she just likes to gab sometimes. She thinks it was adorable, but me, I know my brother. Better than Irial does, anyway. He's got eyes for you."

Antimony felt something soft on her hand and looked down to find that Sareed was holding it.

"I kind of fancy you too."

Antimony didn't quite know what to say to that, so for a few moments she said nothing. Her palm felt suddenly electric, as though Sareed's gentle fingers were live wires. Her skin felt warm and part of her wanted to pull away, but a larger part seemed to be unable to move at all, frozen.

"You do...?"

"I do." Sareed said, sliding her hand slowly up Antimony's arm until it reached her shoulder, which she caressed gently. "You're a very pretty girl, Annie. You turn more heads than you know."

A lot of thoughts raced through Antimony's mind. What should she do? Why hadn't she suspected this? Was she really that naive? Was this something she wanted? The last question scared her the most, because she had a sneaking suspicion that she did.

"You are very beautiful too." Antimony said, still somewhat at a loss for words.

Sareed beamed, and then she kissed her. It was a wonderful feeling. Sareed soft lips grazed hers, and then they met firmly, pressing against one another in the most spine-tingling way. When it ended, the hair on the back of Antimony's neck was standing on end. Her brain was firing on all cylinders, but there was no torque. Her mouth moved, she stuttered.

"I- uh, wow... that's... I don't know about this Sareed..."

"Then I will teach you." Sareed said, and kissed her again.

Somewhere in the back of Antimony's brain, a little scrap of thought protested that Sareed had misunderstood the statement, but it had soon vanished. Sareed slipped her arm around the small of Antimony's back, and she did the same, acting completely on instinct. It felt so good being embraced by Sareed, like she had found a hidden place of joy where she was completely safe. Somewhere where she was understood. Where she was home.

Antimony began to kiss back, and to explore Sareed's body with her fingers. She ran her hands over the girl's hips and shoulders. She tangled them in her hair, enjoying the heady scent of perfume and sweat while Sareed did the same. One thing that Antimony noticed immediately was that Sareed smelled really good, like something soft and sweet.

It was magic. She wanted to laugh or to sigh or perhaps both at the same time, but instead she simply kissed more vigorously. When they broke apart, it was Antimony's turn to be short of breath. Sareed stared into her eyes in that peculiar way that seemed to pierce right through her. She was smiling again, but it was different smile. Covetous. Mischievous even. The expression of a fox that had managed to leap high enough to seize the juiciest plum. She slipped the straps of her halter-top free of her shoulders and pulled it down to her waist. Antimony simply stared, mouth slightly agape, as Sareed took her hands and brought them to rest against her bosom. Her breasts were just as soft and wonderful as the rest of her. Slowly, Antimony became felt her inhibition recede. As she looked at Sareed's body and felt the slight pressure of the girl's arms wrapped around her waist, ideas ran through her mind that made her feel uncomfortably warm and jittery.

"You're shivering. Are you cold?"

"No, just a little nervous." Antimony replied.

"Don't be. This happens many times a day in the forest." Sareed said with a wink. "Hasn't killed anybody yet."

Antimony felt Sareed's hands drifting downwards, slipping underneath the waistband of her skirt and her knickers to cup her buttocks. She gave an involuntary little sigh, and Sareed planted another kiss on her neck.

"You should lie on your back. It will make this easier."

Antimony did so without hesitation, and Sareed sat up a bit, leaning against her. Her left hand drifted down, pulling up Antimony's skirt. She tugged at her panties, and Antimony arched her feet so that Sareed could pull them off in one clean motion. When Sareed's fingers first touched Antimony's bare skin, she recoiled slightly. A tingle went through her.

"Shhh- relax." Sareed whispered.

She placed her whole hand between the fork of Antimony's legs and began to rub back and forth, gently at first, but slowly growing in speed and pressure. She began to breathe more heavily. Bit by bit a feeling built in her lower extremities, like a spring winding up that would soon be loosed. She had masturbated many times before in her dorm, on those lonely nights when she lay awake thinking about her future while Kat snored softly on a bunk next to her, but it was nothing like this feeling, nothing at all. Sooner than she thought, the spring reached maximum tension.

"Oh my god!"

It was a truly involuntary exclamation. A shiver went through her whole body. Her back arched and her legs clamped around Sareed's fingers, as if hoping to trap them there. Gradually the feeling ebbed away, and her back came to rest against the ground again. Everything had a soft feeling about it now- the grass, her clothes, the breeze against her skin. When Sareed pulled her fingers away they were slick and slippery. She looked at them for a moment, and then reached down and began to pleasure herself with the same hand.

She moved over to a spot just below Antimony and parted her legs. Antimony felt the evening air blow cold on her soaked thighs. Sareed leaned over and planted a kiss just below her navel, and then another one beneath that, and another and another. The trail of kisses lead steadily down until it reached her groin. Antimony gasped when she felt Sareed's wonderfully muscular lips tease her. And then a moment later she felt the tongue slip out and join the party, and her fingers immediately balled into fists. It felt so amazingly unbelievably good that she wanted to explode. Her toes curled. Her eyes closed and her head tilted back. She could feel the tongue sliding back and forth, and even pushing a little way in. Sareed was relentless, and sooner than she thought possible, she was climaxing again. Another orgasm shot through her body, making her shudder even harder than the last one.

"Oooooooh!" She cried out loud.

The noise echoed slightly in the clearing, but nobody came to investigate and Antimony was in a state of mind where she felt she wouldn't really care if Ysengrin himself saw her lying here. Her mind felt fried, but in a good way. Everything was still tingling. She managed to raise her head and looked down. Sareed was licking her lips, and a dewy liquid was dripping slowly from her chin.

"I knew you'd like that." She said. "Am I right?"

Antimony nodded breathlessly.

"It feels... oh my god. It feels incredible. Don't stop."

Sareed laughed and resumed her ministrations with even more gusto.

They continued like this for hours. Sareed sent Antimony over the edge with her nimble tongue again and again and again until Antimony lost count. Eventually it was over, though she could not quite remember when it stopped. Sareed was lying against her once again. For a long time neither of them said anything, because there was nothing to say. They simply lay still, enjoying the heat and the sound of another being near them. The soft whoosh of breath. The faint thump of a heartbeat against the skin.

Alas, like all perfect moments it could not last. Soon enough, Sareed sat up and looked around.

"We should get heading back, it will be getting much colder soon."

Antimony sighed wistfully.

"Are you sure we can't just run away and sing our own house out of the trees and stay there forever?"

Sareed laughed again, a wonderful, tremulous noise.

"Unfortunately no, it takes a little longer than that to shape a tree into a house. I think you and I will be having a lot more fun in the future, though."

Antimony stood up and kissed Sareed again, briefly, just because she knew she could. It was a good feeling.

Then she began to look around at her feet.

"Where did you put my knickers?"

Eventually the knickers were found, as was the bow and the quiver, which had wisely been placed to one side. They gave the area one last look, and then, satisfied that nothing had been left behind, they departed, their bodies tired and their heads buzzing with contented bliss.


End file.
